Analyze investments and finances to maximize money using Microsoft Excel and templates for financial scenarios; This book will show consumers how to analyze their finances and investments with Excel to get more from their money.; Includes financial advice and easy-to-use template spreadsheets that work with multiple recent versions of Excel or other spreadsheet applications.; Explains how to make money-saving decisions with mortgages, loans, credit cards, taxes, and more Intuit's Quicken and Microsoft Money are personal finance products mostly used for basic "everyday" financial tasks, like checkbook balancing and bill paying. While these tools are great for tracking transactions, many users find their reporting and analysis tools difficult to work with. However, many people already have one of the most powerful tools for realizing financial savings installed on their computer - Microsoft Excel. With Excel's extensive capabilities for analyzing data, performing computations, and displaying charts, it's ideally suited for just about any financial task, if you know how to create the necessary formulas and charts. With Manage Your Money and Investments with Excel, you don't need advanced Excel knowledge to analyze and review your financial information. The book includes a set of professionally designed Excel workbooks for performing commonly needed financial tasks such as: comparing mutual funds over time, evaluating mortgages and home equity loans, deciding whether to buy or lease a car, work with credit card finance charges, and more. All necessary formulas and charts will be built in so readers can add their data and get started quickly. Not only is this book great for those tackling financial management for the first time, but it's also perfect for current Money and Quicken users who are finding some of their software features difficult to use. Readers can download the sample workbooks from www quepublishing.com. The sample workbooks will be created in Excel, and will work in multiple versions of Excel or other spreadsheet applications that can read Excel files.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Why Excel? Who This Book Is For More Information and Updates I. UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF FINANCIAL CALCULATIONS. 1. Taking Control of Your Finances. Facing the Problem Setting Goals What Excel Can Do for You Why Excel and Not Quicken or Money? Excel Versions Using the Worksheet Templates Template Conventions About Percentages 2. Using Excel to Work with Money. Excel Basics Getting Around Selecting Cells Entering and Editing Data Formatting the Worksheet Formulas in Excel Excel Functions Excel and Money Cash Flow Formatting Money and Percentage Values Charting Your Course 3. Working with Basic Financial Calculations. Calculating Loan Payments Calculating Principal Payments Working with Future Value Using the Present Value Function Calculating Interest Rate 4. Tracking Your Net Worth. What Is Net Worth? Assets to Include Liabilities to Include The Net Worth Calculator Interpreting Your Net Worth Keeping Track over Time II. TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR BANK AND CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS. 5. Managing Your Money with a Budget. What Is a Budget? Budget Fundamentals The Home Budget Calculator The Overview Transactions Paychecks Entering Transactions Getting Started with Your Budget Living with a Budget Analyze Your Spending Live Within Your Means Balancing Your Budget Watch Impulse Buying Look for Sales Learn to Cook 6. Being Smart with Your Checking Accounts. How Checking Accounts Work Types of Checking Accounts Other Checking Account Fees Understanding Debit Cards Be Smart with ATM Cards Cheap Checks Other Account Services How to Get a Free Checking Account The Checkbook Register Application How the Checkbook Register Workbook Works Getting Started with the Register Entering Transactions Sorting Transactions Editing Transactions Keeping Headings in View Reconciling Your Register 7. Getting the Most From Your Credit Cards. How Credit Cards Work Credit Card Interest Rates Credit Card Fees Credit Card Advantages What About Debit Cards? Hooray for the Grace Period Reward Cards Using Your Credit Cards Wisely Never Charge Anything You Cannot Pay Off Use the Grace Period Get a Rewards Card Be Careful to Make Payments on Time Mind Your Credit Limit How Much Will It Really Cost? The Real Cost Calculator Why Carrying a Balance Is to Be Avoided Paying Off Your Balance The Payoff Calculator Using a Credit Card for Cash Advances Understanding Cash Advances The Cash Advance Cost Calculator III. FINANCING YOUR HOME AND CAR. 8. Understanding Mortgages-And Getting the One That's Best for You. The Many Benefits of Home Ownership Types of Mortgages Traditional Fixed Rate Mortgages Adjustable Rate Mortgages Balloon Mortgages Hybrid Mortgages Your Mortgage Payment Other Mortgage Costs Origination Fee Points Private Mortgage Insurance The Tax Benefits of Home Ownership Understanding Mortgage Amortization How Much Can I Borrow? The Maximum Mortgage Calculator The Mortgage Detail Calculator 9. Considering Home Equity Loans. What Is a Home Equity Loan? How They Work How Much Can I Borrow? Home Equity Loan Cautions Home Equity Calculations 10. Refinancing Your Mortgage. Why Refinance? Costs of Refinancing Making a Decision The Mortgage Refinance Breakeven Calculator How to Use the Calculator 11. Understanding Escrow Accounts. Escrow Is for Taxes and Insurance Canceling Your Escrow Account The Escrow Cancellation Calculator 12. Renting Versus Buying Your Home-Making the Right Choice. Why Buy a Home? Financial Factors of Home Ownership The Down Payment Closing Costs Ownership Costs The Rent Versus Buy Calculator 13. Your New Car- Lease or Buy? Do You Really Need a New Car? Understanding Auto Leases Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing Types of Leases Lease Conditions Lease Payment Calculator The Lease or Buy Calculator IV. MANAGING YOUR INVESTMENTS. 14. Learning the Fundamentals of Investing. Investment Vehicles Stocks Bonds Mutual Funds Exchange Traded Funds Treasury Bills Savings Accounts Certificates of Deposit Money Market Accounts Risk Versus Return Your Investment Timeframe Choosing a Brokerage Account Dividend Reinvestment Plans 15. Tracking Your Investments. Why Track Investments? The Investment Portfolio Workbook The Holdings Worksheet The Query Worksheet Using the Investment Portfolio Template 16. Comparing Mutual Funds. Choosing Mutual Funds The Mutual Fund Comparator 17. Planning for College or Retirement. Long-term Planning Accounting for Inflation The Inflation Effects Calculator Predicting Your Needs Not Over-Saving Saving for College The College Cost Calculator The College Savings Calculator Saving for Retirement What About Social Security? How Much Retirement Income Will You Need? How Much Do You Need to Save? Annuities The Retirement Planner Workbook APPENDICES. A. Workbook Reference. Chapter 4: Net Worth Calculator Chapter 5: Budget Workbook The Budget Menu The Transactions Worksheet The Transaction Entry Form Entering Paychecks The Overview Worksheet Chapter 6: Checkbook Register Workbook The Register Menu Entering Transactions Sorting the Transactions Calculating the Totals Chapter 7: Real Cost Calculator Chapter 7: Payoff Calculator Chapter 7: Cash Advance Cost Calculator Chapter 8: Mortgage Payment Calculator Chapter 8: Mortgage Points Comparator Chapter 8: Mortgage Tax Savings Calculator Chapter 8: Maximum Mortgage Calculator Chapter 8: Mortgage Detail Calculator Chapter 9: Home Equity Line of Credit Calculator Chapter 10: Mortgage Refinance Breakeven Calculator Chapter 11: Escrow Cancellation Calculator Chapter 12: Rent Versus Buy Calculator The Input Worksheet The Output Worksheet The Chart Worksheet Chapter 13: Lease Payment Calculator Chapter 13: Lease or Buy Calculator Chapter 15: Investment Portfolio Workbook Chapter 16: Mutual Fund Comparator Chapter 17: Inflation Effects Calculator Chapter 17: College Cost Calculator Chapter 17: College Savings Calculator Chapter 17: Retirement Planner Workbook B. Glossary of Financial Terms. Index.

Author Biography

Peter Aitken has been writing about computers and software for more than 15 years. He has over 40 titles to his credit as well as innumerable magazine and web articles. Peter is an expert Excel developer and has done financial consulting and programming for clients in the real estate industry, including a stint as a Vice President of The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. Recently Peter wrote Excel Programming Weekend Crash Course (Wiley; 0764540629) and co-wrote Excel Formulas and Functions for Dummies (Wiley, 0764575562).